Ode to May

May is my favorite month, and has been, since I was a little girl.
Blossoms are everywhere. The air is so balmy and mild and fragrant, and somehow full of promise.

That reminds me of a beautiful poem by German Romantic poet Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff we learned about in high school in Linz.

                                                       Mondnacht

                                           Es war, als hätt der Himmel
                                           Die Erde still geküsst,
                                           Dass sie im Blütenschimmer
                                           Von ihm nun träumen müsst.

                                            Die Luft ging durch die Felder,
                                            Die Aehren wogten sacht,                  
                                            Es rauschten leis die Wälder,
                                            So sternklar war die Nacht.

                                            Und meine Seele spannte
                                            Weit ihre Flügel aus,
                                            Flog durch die stillen Lande,
                                            Als flöge sie nach Haus.
                   

To Jacob

Happy Birthday, Jakes! 35 years!
You are a wonderful son and brother. We are so thankful for you in our family.

We are thankful for your good heart, your sensitivity, your brightness, and your courage. Life is not easy for you. We admire how you don't give up, and keep moving along with hope, humor and determination.

Welcome, welcome!

Welcome to the family, dear little Norah! Everyone is thrilled that you are here!

Your parents tell us your name means Light. And you have certainly brought Light with you; Light and Happiness.

Bicycle Tour - "Northern Woods and Lakes"

We were in the farthest northern part of Wisconsin - Land o' Lakes, Eagle River, St. Germain, etc.

Loved it all!  Beautiful, fragrant forests; lakes, fun people, good food. Beautiful scenery. Bicycling on nice trails.  Sunshine.

         We met some lovely new friends.

By coincidence, it turned out that both of these women are physicians.  

This was farther south, in Madison, Wisconsin, on August 18.

On the way home, we visited New Glarus (also called Little Switzerland) and some other really fun places, including Galena, Ill.  Lots of history there.

And, since we were not all too far away, and we really didn't want to go home yet, we stopped off in one other place, and camped in 'our' campground.
It's becoming a summer tradition.

          Taking my bike for a leisurely ride around peaceful Old Nauvoo. What could be more fun.


       In addition, someone special had an important birthday, and it was a very happy day  /  week -

The actual birthday was on August 18 in Wisconsin, and I baked the cake later when we were back  home.   

           

Here I Am

 In Provo. Everything has worked out wonderfully, even better than I hoped it would.

                                                                                                                                                                   photo: angie

                 As their mama says - "strawberry, chocolate, vanilla".  All equally sweet

                                                We visited Anatevka, up at Sundance

and the Swissies celebrated Swiss National Day with their Provo cousins. Could they all be any cuter?

They're grand

Counting the hours until these two show up! They're arriving for their two-week Sommerfrische at Oma and Opa's.

the three of us, last year at our house

Each of our grandchildren truly is grand!  We love and miss them so much. They live too far away, and only the ones in N. Carolina live within driving distance. Skype does help a lot.
But I'll be seeing many of them this summer.  So happy about that.

Oh beautiful, for spacious skies

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, AMERICA!   I like you, and I'm impressed.   Visiting Abe Lincoln's this week has made me think, once again  -  about your history and your ideals.

Fifty-six granite steps (one for each year of his life) lead up to the memorial

Inside the memorial is a replica of the humble log cabin where he was born, on this land, the Sinking Spring Farm

When little Abraham was about three years old, the family moved a few miles down the road to this spot on Knob Creek.  The land has not been developed or changed , so it would have looked much like this when he played in these fields.

Knob Creek is quite dry right now.

                 To quote some of the words from a favorite song:

                          America! America!
                          God mend thine every flaw,
                          Confirm thy soul in self-control,
                          Thy liberty in law.

                   from:  "America the Beautiful"